Vincent's Girl -1-
by xaltanat.daimaou
Summary: Vincent Valentine finds a stranger in the woods. Then he learns this person is a remnant of Jenova... and a girl. They become fond of each other and life seems to smile at them. But they will still have to face Rufus Shin-Ra, who wants to continue his experiments to create Soldiers. During the ordeal, they will find that this girl is more than just a remnant...


**VINCENT'S GIRL**

**(FINAL FANTASY 7.5)**

"I shouldn't have wandered carelessly" he scolded himself, looking around at the white, glowing trees of the woods he had gotten into. It was already dark, but he definitely wasn't giving a single step back, although the trees and many fireflies, gave the place a ghostly atmosphere that made him shiver. A cricket somewhere deepened the silence with his lonely, monotonous song.

He had been chased out of the last town he had been in. Having no money, he was forced to steal whatever he needed to survive. He only stayed a day or two in the places he passed by and kept away from people. This time he had been discovered stealing food. He had run away as fast as he could, with no direction. Now he had no idea where he was or where to go.

There had been a time when he had a home, but it all seemed so far away now. He had left since the calling had begun. The calling was a driving force inside him, summoning him to a 'true home', to the place he belonged, where he could be someone. This gnawing feeling drove him desperately to try reach whatever or whoever was calling him. It became imperative two years before, and then diminished. Then, in the past months, it had grown very intense just to disappear suddenly, leaving him confused, lost, without anything to pull him in a certain direction. Still, he continued the search, with a faint hope, evasive memories that were like pieces from someone else's puzzle and an inscription on the sword he carried on his back.

The only thing he knew for sure was that he had always been different. Not only in appearance, but stronger and faster that the rest. For instance, nobody could match his speed. Of course this was an advantage over regular people, but his peculiarities also isolated him from the world. Rejection was a normal reaction before something different; it was the norm to him.

"Now where will I go?" he asked himself, restless. With great leaps, he made his way to the top of one tree. Perched on one of the high branches, he looked around and tried to orient himself. He could not even see the lights of the town he had left behind that morning.

"When am I going to find answers?" He sighed into the cool, dark heavens. He felt so lost, abandoned, lonely... and that made him desperate. He pulled the long, slim, double-bladed sword from the sheath on his back. He leapt again, turning in mid-air and swinging his sword at the tree.

As soon as he landed back on the ground, the white glowing tree split in half from top to base and fell like a defeated giant, with a loud cracking noise.

As he sheathed back his sword, he heard a slight rustle among the bushes. He listened carefully and stood defensively.

"I don't think that tree was guilty of any crime" A deep voice said.

He turned around quickly. A tall man wearing a ragged red cloak came out of the woods and stood about twenty feet from him.

"I'm sorry; I didn't know it was your tree." He replied sarcastically.

His voice seemed to surprise the stranger in red. It must have, for his voice was electronically distorted by the black motorcycle helmet he wore all the time, so nobody would see his face or hear his real voice. Complementing this purpose was his armor chest plate, gloves and very loose clothes that concealed his body type.

"Who are you?" asked the stranger, studying him.

"Just point me the way to the next city and I'll be gone." The other said without answering the question.

"Are you looking for somebody there?" The stranger asked.

"Maybe" was the ambiguous reply.

"I have friends in the city, you know." The other said.

"Good for you, but I have to go now" He turned and started walking away.

Fast as lightning, the cloaked man was in front of him. Startled, the one with the helmet gave a step back.

"Tell me who you are" The man in red demanded. His tone was now slightly threatening. His face was mostly concealed by the cloak's high collar and a red bandana on his forehead. But his intense red eyes bore down his motorcycle helmet, trying to see thru the polarized visor.

"I mean you no harm. Please, step aside and we'll go our separate ways." The other replied in a warning tone.

"No ordinary person splits a tree as easily as you did. You are unusually strong. I just want to know if you are also an enemy." The cloaked man said.

"I am not your enemy." The other assured, moving his head.

"Then tell me who you are" The man in the cloak insisted.

The other one raised a hand and touched a button on the side of his helmet. The visor popped open and he glared at the stranger.

"I am the last person you will see if you don't step aside right now"

The stranger was visibly affected by the sight.

Most of the time, when he popped his visor open, troublesome men backed away, impressed by his eyes. But this man had a trace of recognition in his face, as if he had seen them before.

"Those eyes..." he muttered.

He gave a step back, ready to fight, as he continued to stare at the pair of slitted, ice-blue eyes that looked at him from inside the black helmet.

"So, you are one of Jenova's children. I thought we had gotten rid of them all." The cloaked man said.

Now it was the other's turn to be surprised. "Jenova? Who's that? Tell me!"

"Don't play innocent" accused the other "You were coming to the 'Reunion' for sure. Sorry to tell you are late, boy. "

The one in the helmet was thrilled. "So, this is what the calling inside me was," he thought, "this 'Reunion'... But where was it? Why am I too late?" His mind was a sea of questions.

"What reunion?" he asked.

"I can't believe you are still playing innocent" the man before him said.

"You are going to tell me one way or another!" The other demanded and attacked. He delivered two blows that were easily blocked by his opponent, who jumped and landed behind him; trying to give him a mighty kick, but the one with the helmet ducked.

"Tell me who Jenova is!" He shouted as he repeatedly tried to hit the cloaked stranger with his fists, but all his attacks were blocked or avoided with great agility.

"You pitiful boys" the man in the cloak mocked "Always crying after their mother"

"Mother?" The other repeated astonished, heart beating quickly inside his chest. He pulled out his double-bladed sword.

Two trees went down in one blow. But the stranger had leaped into the air. Only his red cloak was visible; flying among the high branches as if it had life of its own, getting suddenly out of sight.

"Where did he...?" He felt a slight breeze behind him, and he turned as fast as he could, but an iron-clad fist was already coming straight at his face.

He didn't know if the stars he saw came from the sheer force of the blow or the damage to the helmet's circuitry.

Sparks flew from the electronic helmet, he saw the world spin and everything fell into darkness.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

_Look around, wonder why_

_We can live a life that's never satisfied.*_

"That was too easy." thought the cloaked man as he flexed his hand in the metal clawed gauntlet, approaching the defeated fighter.

The helmet was still spitting sparks and buzzing slightly, but its owner was unconscious.

He knelt next to him and took the helmet with both hands to pull it off. The long silvery hair encased inside the helmet spilled out, making a pale frame around a pretty young woman's face.

"It's a woman!" The stranger couldn't believe his eyes.

"Well, that explains the voice distorter and the chest plate" He thought. This discovery changed his perspective of the situation, and he tried to decide what to do next.

She looked small inside the loose garments and broad man's chest plate. Like a little creature inside something else's oversized shell. All was meant to make her look like a man and it worked. She had fooled him.

"How clever" he thought. He couldn't avoid taking in her delicate features; she was in her twenties, had smooth cheeks, small mouth with rosy lips and fine eyebrows. Her ivory skin looked paler under the woods' ghostly glow and her distinctive hair color.

That silvery mane brought an old bad memory to his mind, but he shook it away. He could not kill her in cold blood, even if she resembled Sephiroth.

She seemed so vulnerable, yet he remembered how she had split those trees as if they were twigs. She wasn't a skilled fighter; he could tell she had learned just a few things 'on the way'.

"I wonder where she got that sword" he said to himself.

He took her weapon and examined it by the glow of the trees. There was a worn inscription in the hilt. It read: '05J-Prototype. Property of Shin-Ra'

"Shin-Ra! This gets more interesting" he mused "I bet this 'prototype' never saw the light. I've never seen a sword like this before"

The woman stirred, making him jump out of his thoughts. He stood up and backed away, taking the sword with him.

"This woman is either an innocent victim or a great liar" He thought, and prepared to whatever was going to happen, determined to learn more.

"Ow! My head!" She sat upright holding her forehead. Then she turned and looked at him.

"My helmet!" She exclaimed and was standing in a split second; ready to fight.

He walked steadily to one of the fallen trees nearby and sat on it, resting the sword upright against the trunk and looking at her with impassive red eyes.

She eyed him and then her sword. She darted forward, fast as a striking snake and regained her weapon, but the man didn't move.

"Why are you just sitting there? What do you want?" She asked, confused by the sudden change of her opponent's attitude.

"I guess the same thing you want: answers" His calm, baritone voice said.

"How do I know I can trust you?" She questioned, still defensive, standing at a safe distance with her sword ready.

"How do I know I can trust _you_?" He returned the question.

She looked unsure, but she took a few steps towards him, her questions burning inside her. "A while back, you said something about a Jenova"

He felt compelled to learn more about this remaining child of Jenova. One that appeared to be reasonable and not a destruction crazed psycho like the rest.

"You really don't know anything?" He asked.

She moved her head slowly.

"Then you better sit down. This is going to be a long talk" The man said "Do you have a name?"

"Jenn. My name is Jenn" She cautiously sheathed her sword. Slowly, she drew near him and sat on the ground, still keeping a safe distance "And you?"

"Vincent Valentine" was his answer "Hmmm… sorry I hit you so hard…" he added, ashamed, as he saw she put her hand to her head.

"Don't worry" she said softly "you thought I was a guy. And the helmet protected me." She looked back at him "So, what is Jenova?" she asked.

The man in the red cloak, Vincent, told her about Jenova, the Calamity from he Sky. How Rufus, president of the Shin-Ra company, had used Jenova to create powerful warriors. Sephiroth had been the first, but had turned against Shin-Ra and almost destroyed the Earth with his power.

Vincent also told her that Rufus had recovered part of Jenova, unleashing the last battle against three of Jenova's remnants: Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz. They wanted to fuse with Jenova to become like Sephiroth.

Jenova had also corroded the planet thru an illness called Geostigma, that had caused sickness, pain and death to many innocent people.

He explained that the 'Reunion' was nothing more than the pieces of Jenova trying to form a whole again; this 'pieces' being Kadaj, his brothers…

"And you" he finished.

She had a hard time taking in all the information.

"You are a liar!" She accused him angrily, her voice breaking.

"Why should I lie to you?" He asked.

She knew Vincent was telling the truth. The visions that made the pieces of the puzzle inside her mind, fitted into the story. Everything made sense.

"I am part of a monster.. a desease!" She covered her face with her hands "I'm nothing but the remnant of a catastrophe! An aberration! And… and… just what was left of something else!"

She cried. She felt disgusted, angry, hurt, disillusioned. Vincent looked at her shaking shoulders, knowing what she was feeling. He couldn't say anything to make Jenn feel any better. It was true; she was the remnant of a catastrophe and her blood was poison.

After she had managed to calm down, she took off her chest plate and gloves. The men's pants and oversized shirt hung on her, giving the impression of being five times her size.

She told him that she came from a far town to the Northeast called Isodell. She was raised by a normal woman, who had taken care of her as her own daughter since she had use of memory.

The trouble came when Jenn grew up and gradually stopped aging; she would always be twenty-three, no matter how many years passed. People noticed this and Jenn's peculiar features. They were rejected, teased and scorned. Soon both women were forced to move out of town, where they were able to lead peaceful, but lonely lives.

Her mother did age, and before she died, she revealed how Jenn had come to live with her.

A man had brought Jenn and the sword to her; a young widow who never had children and never remarried.

The man made her promise that she would take care of the baby girl and never give her or the weapon away to anybody. After that, he had killed himself, mumbling 'poor child', 'must not continue' and some other things Jenn's mother didn't understand.

After her mother's death, Jenn had nothing to stay for, so she left the place to follow the calling; even if she had to cross the planet to reach the source of that strange, compelling force.

Vincent could only deduct that Jenn had been one of Shin-Ra's many unethical experiments with Jenova cells. The sword was likely a prototype of new weapon that would make Soldiers more powerful. The man was probably just a poor soul driven insane by guilt, trying to save at least one child from damnation.

"And I thought the call I felt came from my true home. A place I would finally fit into and find people like me, perhaps my real family... I was so naive" She clenched her fists as hot new tears ran down her cheeks.

Vincent was silent for a long while. He had fought many battles, was skilled and tempered; yet he had no idea what to do with her. He was at loss when it came to deal with feelings; but he perfectly knew what suffering and pain were and it angered him that she had to undergo the same things that had turned him into what he was. She was like a child, she had been kept away from the world. She was an innocent carrying the sin of her creators.

He felt his past haunting him again. He couldn't leave her for Shin-Ra to find her. He had once been part of Shin-Ra's hitmen and knew too well what the company was capable of doing. His own story seemed to be repeating before his eyes. He had to do something to help her, or perhaps something to amend his past.

She hugged her knees and hid her face.

"An experiment... " she continued repeating to herself "... came all this way to learn that I'm nothing but a monster... a remnant..."

He finally moved and came to kneel next to her. Slowly, he placed his iron-clad hand on her shoulder.

"You are different from your brothers" he said "You have a choice."

She raised her head, her eyes red from crying and her cheeks wet.

"I'm not sure. You say I have the power to bring back Sephiroth. I can be used as a weapon. I could make the planet sick again…." She said slowly "It seems there is only one thing I can do"

She placed one pale hand over his metal gauntlet and met his eyes. He felt something stir within him at the contact.

"Ever since I left home, I've been on my own. Always alone and apart from the rest."

She gave him a faint smile. Vincent caught himself gazing into her ice-blue eyes.

They made a connection. It occurred to him that they were somewhat alike; cut from the same fabric, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Nevertheless, she was different…

"You have been kind to me" she continued "and I thank you for telling me the truth. But now I have to ask from you a last favor: take my sword..."

"What are you saying?" He asked, uneasy.

"... and destroy me." – she finished, choking with her own words.

"I will not do that!" He exclaimed and sprung to his feet.

"You must!" She insisted, standing up after him and facing him "The battle is over, but I'm the last one. Everything can start again!"

She tried to unsheathe her sword, but he stopped her and held her hands.

"I will not kill you!" He stated fiercely.

The glow of the trees lit his eyes like fire, giving him an intense look "Killing yourself is not the answer, believe me. There have been too many deaths already"

She was silent for a moment. Then she broke in tears again, threw her arms around him and hugged him, hiding her face aginst his shoulder.

"Hold me just for a moment... please" She begged softly.

He was taken aback and hesitated for a moment. Finally, he did what she asked him and slowly closed his arms around her; remaining silent.

"I don't want to die" She said in a hushed cry.

He knew. He could feel her heart beating erratically like a frantic bird. She was lost and very scared. Everything she had believed had crashed down upon her.

He remembered he had felt the same way long time ago, and slightly tightened his embrace, closing his eyes. It was like holding his own thorny past against his chest. It made him wince, but he also felt strangely comfortable and warm.

"You're not going to die" He whispered, not knowing why he was saying that. She carried Jenova's legacy within her and she would have to be destroyed sooner or later. But he couldn't help to loath the idea of her death.

"I will take you to Edge" he finally told her.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

They decided to rest in the woods and started their way to the city at dawn. She put the gloves and the chest plate back on, but carried her ruined helmet under her arm.

Vincent was a very quiet man, and she didn't press him to talk. She had a lot to think about along the way. She was still taking in the idea of her newfound identity and everything spun in her mind.

She wondered what bizarre tortures had been Shin-Ra's subjects exposed to in name of a so called 'science'. Those experiments had given birth to Sephiroth and had made him hate everything. Would she turn against everything as well?

She could. Her body was, genetically, half Sephiroth. And the Jenova cells she carried had contaminated the planet itself, bringing sickness to the people thru the Life Stream. So, she was also a source of illness.

Jenn felt somewhat relieved from her dark thoughts when Vincent eventually started talking a bit about the city of Edge. Then he asked her how she had survived after leaving her home. Ashamed of herself, she had to admit the burglaries she committed and how she had been chased out of many places.

"You never tried asking for things? " He asked.

"I did, at first. People scorned me or took advantage of me. Some men tried to... abuse me. That's why I use these clothes and steal what I need." She explained.

"But you are stronger than any regular man, why should you be afraid?"

"I don't like to show what I am. I rather pretend to be somebody normal and pass unnoticed. I don't want to go around fighting." she mumbled.

"You could've stayed home and avoid all this" he said in his impassive deep voice.

"I know. But I had nothing left after Mother died; and the calling was so strong that nothing else mattered. It was driving me crazy."

He was silent.

"I would have liked to meet my brothers" she muttered after a long pause.

"The calling did make you crazy. They would've made you like them" he huffed at her.

"No" she replied immediately.

"Are you sure? They would've convinced you to join them, so you would help them bring Sephiroth and destroy the earth" he said as he kept walking ahead.

"I could've talked to them. I would've tried to save them" she said defensively.

Vincent stopped "They could not be saved" he stated flatly.

She walked up to him and faced him. Their eyes locked "How do you know?" She asked, turning her previous attitude to sudden bravery.

Vincent held her gaze. Her eyes pleaded understanding. "They were as confused as I was" he read in them.

"They were driven by the same call I was. Maybe they just needed to be... accepted, perhaps loved… " She said. Her burst of confidence dissipated as he saw something flicker across Vincent's eyes.

He looked away before Jenn could catch the pain that he knew his eyes showed. He resumed walking, refusing to admit she could be right. He had never looked at it that way; love and forgiveness were unattainable things to him.

He wondered if things could've been different, but it was no use. What had been had been.

She followed Vincent.

"You can't undo the past" he said gloomily.

"I know" she mumbled back, reversing to her reserved personality. "But, after all, I carry their same blood"

He was silent once again. They walked a long while without speaking.

They had almost reached the city. It was late in the afternoon.

"Vincent?" Jenn called.

No answer.

"Vincent!" She insisted.

He stopped; his back to her.

"Please promise me that if I ever become a threat, you will..."

He turned angry at her "Don't be stupid! Stop saying those things!" he almost shouted.

"Promise me you will be the one to kill me!" She burst out in one breath, raising her voice to a shout to match Vincent's.

He didn't answer. For a moment he seemed surprised at her determination. Then he looked at her with sharp eyes.

"Please promise...!" She said softly, looking at him with pleading eyes and holding her helmet tight against her chest plate with both arms.

Her plea was like a hammer inside his head. He dared not make that promise. He felt utterly incapable of keeping it.

"Vincent!" she insisted as he kept silent.

"I'll do it." He said finally in a low growl, closing his eyes and turning his face away, as if defeated. But then he turned back at her, with determinated look and added fiercely "But I won't let anyone harm you. Ever!"

Not waiting to see her reaction, he turned away and walked towards the city with a faster pace, leaving her behind.

She almost had to run to catch up with him, without saying a word. She didn't know why it was so important to her that he were the one to deliver her back to the Life Stream, if necessary.

It had struck her how that man, who had just met her, had promised to protect her always. Why protect something that must be destroyed?

To tell the truth, Vincent didn't know why either.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

She put her helmet on and hid her hair as soon as they entered Edge. Jenn was grateful the visor hadn't broken when Vincent knocked her out. It was just cracked and the helmet had a smashed side. She felt unable to bear the people staring at her as if they knew she was a monster.

"They probably know" she thought "after all, they were almost killed by my brothers"

Jenn couldn't help thinking that she would probably never belong to that place. Jenova's legacy would forever be her stigma and the people would see it. The wound was too fresh, and she was a dagger threatening to reopen it.

They walked many streets until Vincent finally stopped in front of a location, a tavern to be precise, that had a sign reading "Seventh Heaven".

"Wait here just a minute" he told her and went in.

The smell of Corel liquor, beer and people assailed his nose. He remembered that was one of the reasons he didn't visit the place: the people. He just couldn't bear with crowds.

Vincent walked up to a young woman with long straight brunette hair, who was taking care of several customers at the bar.

"Tifa, I need to talk to you" He told her.

"Oh, Vincent! What a surprise! Want something to drink?" She greeted him with her usual, easy smile.

"Hey, Tifa! Gimme another one!" yelled one of the men in a corner lifting up an empty glass.

"Right away!" She yelled back.

"I need to talk to you for a moment" he insisted.

"Can't you wait? I'm busy!" She told him as she refilled the man's glass with the popular Corel liquor.

"No" Was his short answer.

She sighed. Another man called "How much is it, pretty thing?"

She turned away from Vincent to the other man. "Don't call me pretty thing!" She said in a huff as he paid.

"I'll be back in a minute!" She announced to the people as she walked with her friend to a corner behid the bar.

"What's wrong, Vincent? What happened?" She searched his barely visible face with her bright almond eyes.

"I found somebody in the woods" he paused, selecting his words.

"In the woods? How can that be?" She inquired, curiosity taking the better of her.

"Came from very far and needs a place to stay" he continued.

"I don't know, Vincent. I already have the children..." Tifa answered thoughtfully "Why don't take him someplace else?"

"Her" he corrected.

"What?" Tifa thought she hadn't heard right.

"It's a woman" he explained.

Tifa gasped "Vincent! I'm not going to let you bring women here just..."

"It's not like that!" He cut her off, somewhat annoyed and embarrased.

"You know her?" she inquired.

"No. I found her yesterday" he confessed, avoiding Tifa's eyes.

"Then why bring her here? You never come yourself" Tifa asked, accusingly.

"It is safe here" was his simple response.

"Oh, I see!" Her eyes lit up in a particular way "You finally found a girlfriend!"

"She's not my girlfriend!" He denied immediately, taken off-guard by her unexpected comment.

Tifa chuckled.

"What is so funny?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"You blushed" she smiled knowingly.

"I didn't" he denied firmly.

"Your cheeks are still red" more chuckles.

He hid his face deeper in the high collar of his cloak and looked away. "That's all right, I'll go now. I didn't mean to burden you" He said, miffed.

"Hey, wait! I'll let her stay." She agreed at last, still smiling in knowing way "Just because you ask"

"Thank you, Tifa. Just keep her inside and don't tell anyone about her, not even to Cloud." He said relaxing a bit. "You know when will he be back?" He hurried to ask.

"I think sometime late tomorrow. Why shouldn't I tell him?" she narrowed her eyes at him. Vincent was acting very strange.

"Just wait until I come back tomorrow morning and I'll deal with Cloud." He said.

"Now I'm really curious. I can't wait to meet your girlfriend!" She smiled giving him a look.

"She's not my…Humph!" He felt his blood rushing to his face again. The fierce Vincent was helpless when it came to arguing; and Tifa sure knew how to embarrass somebody.

"I'll bring her in" he said low growl.

As he walked out sulking, Tifa chuckled again. This was going to be very exciting!

But when he exited the tavern and looked around, Jenn was nowhere to be found. His heart sunk as the worst scenarios started to pop into his mind.

Then he heard laughs coming from the alley between the tavern and the next building.

In one leap, he was there.

A little girl about eight years old, with her hair tied up in a ponytail and Jenn were talking and laughing. The little girl turned to him and ran to greet him.

"Marlene!" He called the girl, "what are you doing?"

"I found this person here in the alley. She said she was waiting for you. She is my new friend now, but she is very shy. She won't take off her helmet" Marlene started telling Vincent.

Vincent turned to Jenn. "I spoke to Tifa. She owns this place and will let you stay"

"Vincent, I can't stay!" Jenn opposed.

"Please stay!" Marlene begged.

"I can't let you wander around for Shin Ra's men to see you. Besides, you need to rest and think well what you will do" he told her.

Marlene looked from Jenn to Vincent and then back to Jenn while she was deciding.

"I guess you are right" She sighed, still reluctant.

"Great!" Marlene cried joyfully "You have to meet Cloud! He's a hero!"

"Don't' tell Cloud about her, yet." Vincent told the girl.

"Is it a surprise?" Marlene asked.

"He's going to be very surprised indeed" Vincent said, inwardly amused at the thought.

The girl nodded and said as she ran off to play "This will be great; we'll all have a lot of fun tomorrow!"

Jenn waved good-bye, unable to say a word.

"Come" he said.

She followed the man to the entrance.

"All this is so strange..." Jenn told him as they went inside "that girl seemed to like me so much... " then she froze, nervous before all the people inside turning to look at them.

Aware that she didn't move, he turned around and took her by the arm. "It's all right." He reassured her softly and they both walked across the place.

She could feel each finger of his hand firmly curled around her arm. He was very tall and she stood up to his shoulder; yet, she felt small and vulnerable.

She looked at his handsome face; mostly hidden by his cloak, bandana and heavy bangs of black, unruly long hair.

She also remembered how he had held her in his arms in the woods and she felt her face burning. She was thankful to be wearing the helmet.

Tifa was filling another glass of Corel liquor when she looked up. Her mouth gaped slightly.

Forgetting the customers, she went around the bar to meet them.

"You told me it was a woman!" Tifa protested.

"Tifa, this is Jenn" Vincent said.

"I'll try not to bother you in the least." Jenn said. Of course, her voice was no longer distorted.

"Oh, you _are_ a woman!" Tifa exclaimed and laughed "one cannot tell with the clothes you are wearing!"

"I have to leave. I'll let Jenn explain to you. And don't be alarmed, Tifa. You can trust Jenn" Vincent said, walking away.

"Don't go!" Jenn couldn't stop herself. Before she knew it, she was holding Vincent by the arm. He turned and looked at her, he had a strange expression, his eyes looked puzzled.

Jenn let go of him. She felt her face burning again.

"I'll come tomorrow early." He reassurered her and walked out.

"Why should I be alarmed?" Tifa wondered. She moved her head "That Vincent, you never know what he's up to"

She turned to Jenn and said cheerfully, "Go up the stairs and turn right to take the other stairs up. You are lucky I have a spare room! I'll follow you in a few minutes."

Jenn nodded and went up. All seemed unreal to her. How Vincent had helped her and now this woman, Tifa, was being just as kind without knowing her... without knowing what she was.

What would Tifa do when she found out? Probably kick her out. And Vincent? What was she thinking taking his arm like that? Maybe she was just nervous before this unexpected situation and being near Vincent made her feel at ease.

When she reached the top, she looked around. There was an office to her left, the door was open and she could see a couple of pictures in frames resting on a desk full of papers. She walked in and lifted one of the pictures to look at it.

The picture showed Tifa, Vincent, several other men and another woman. "They must all be friends..." she thought. "...they look so happy" She put it back in place and walked out.

She went up the second flight of stairs and found herself at the door of a small bedroom. The bed was next to a window. The rest of the furniture was a plain table with a chair, some cabinets and a round wall mirror.

Jenn walked to the window and looked outside. The city was gray and dull; the only colors came from the setting sun. Edge had been built north to the ruins of Midgar, the city that was destroyed during the battle against Sephiroth; according to what Vincent told her along the way.

In fact, Edge had been built from scratch from Midgar. This new city already exhibited traces of destruction, from the encounter with Kadaj and his brothers. She could see broken metal structures and some collapsed buildings. Somehow she felt responsible for Midgar and Edge as well.

"Hey, you can take that helmet off, now" A voice behind her said. It was Tifa. "And that chest plate, too. You are not planning on starting a fight, are you?"

Jenn moved her head.

"I have to go downstairs again, but I'm dying to see your face. There must be a very special girl under that disguise if you got Vincent's attention!" – Tifa said in a mischievous tone.

"It's not like that!" Jenn exclaimed, feeling her helmet become a hot oven.

"Well, he's never had a girl before. Life's been hard on him and he's so gloomy all the time... " Tifa softened "but, c'mon! Take your helmet off!"

Jenn thought about it and decided to do it. Tifa had the right to know who she was sheltering.

She slowly pulled it off. Her waist-long silver hair fell around her shoulders at the time Tifa's eyes widened in shock. When Jenn stood with the helmet under her arm, Tifa was still as a statue. Jenn was the living image of Sephiroth!

"I mean no harm" said Jenn when she saw Tifa's expression.

"How could Vincent bring you here?" She exclaimed angrily. Then she pointed out the door. "No Jenova freak is going to stay in my place! You... you... get out! Before I kick you out!"

Jenn was waiting for that reaction. She put the helmet back on and quickly exited the room. She went down the stairs and was crossing the bar when she heard Tifa rushing and calling after her.

"Wait!"

Jenn turned.

The bar lady walked up to her "I'm sorry. I'm very sorry." Tifa put a hand on her forehead. "It's just that... I still have bad memories from the last battle" She moved her head.

"Vincent told me the story. It must be very tough on you to have me here after my brothers tried to kill you" Jenn said.

"If Vincent brought you here, he must have a good reason. I trust him. He wouldn't bring an enemy to my home. So, you may stay." Tifa told her, brightening up a bit, looking at her with compassionate almond orbs.

"Thank you." Jenn said.

Jenn hadn't slept in a bed in a long time. She found it very comfortable, but the idea of seeing Vincent again, made her rise extra early next morning. She had already washed and dressed when Tifa entered the room.

"So, what's your story? How did you meet Vincent?" Tifa asked.

Jenn told her everything Tifa wanted to know. How she was left with her 'mother', the calling, her long errand through the cities and her fight with Vincent, but she was careful not to mention his promise. When she had finished, Tifa didn't know what to say.

"I can't believe it. You are not at all like your so called 'brothers'." The bar lady said finally.

"I was raised by a good woman." Jenn smiled meekly "I didn't even know how to fight. I've learned just a little in the last two years."

Tifa was still amazed. She thought that having Jenn there was like having Sephiroth over to her house for tea and cookies.

"I feel so bad about what I said and for trying to kick you out of here" Tifa said contritedly.

"It's not your fault. After all, I resemble the guy who almost destroyed the Earth." Jenn excused her new friend.

Tifa smiled. "You have a good heart. All this must be tough on you as well."

Then she eagerly stood up and told Jenn: "You know? I have some clothes I think will fit you. Vincent will be coming anytime now, wouldn't you like to look pretty for him?"

Jenn's mouth opened, but she was speechless. Her face turned red.

Tifa laughed and went out. "I'll take that for a yes."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Marlene had spent the previous afternoon playing with Denzel, another boy that lived with them. They were both orphans from Midgar, but Tifa had taken the job of taking care of them; and some of the times, especially when Cloud was not around, it was the two children who took care of Tifa.

When the two of them came back to the bar, they couldn't see Jenn because she had gone to bed early.

Marlene was very excited about introducing Jenn to Cloud. Cloud worked as an independent delivery boy, but he was the greatest hero in the world before Marlene's eyes; despite the fact that he had been once a soldier for Shin Ra.

Cloud had defeated Sephiroth and Kadaj and had saved the planet! It made Marlene so proud to have someone like Cloud.

"Tifa, we are going to play outside!" Marlene said "Where's Jenn?"

"She's upstairs, changing clothes." Tifa answered, surprised "You already met her?"

"She's my friend!" exclaimed the girl, not stopping to say anything else.

"We'll be back later!" Denzel shouted as they rushed out.

"Just be careful, ok?" The woman yelled back. But the children were already gone. Tifa moved her head. Just then, Jenn came down.

"Hey, you look great!" Tifa said.

Jenn was wearing black jeans, a white fitted shirt and a short black denim vest that matched her jeans. Unlike the men clothes she used to wear, the clothes Tifa gave her fitted perfectly her slender body. She had also made her hair into a neat ponytail.

Jenn was unsure "Don't you think this is a bit tight? I'm afraid to draw too much attention"

"Relax" Tifa reassured her "Don't be so shy! You really look nice"

"Thanks, Tifa. I like the outfit very much" Jenn confessed coyly.

"You're going to make Vincent's jaw drop to the floor!" Tifa laughed.

"Tifa!" Jenn gasped, turning beet red. Tifa laughed even more.

"I need to get the bar ready to open later" Tifa said, changing the conversation to give Jenn a break "Mind helping me out?"

"It's the least I can do after all you've done for me" Jenn agreed.

She hadn't felt so good in a long time. She helped Tifa arranging chairs, cleaning tables, the bar, washing glasses and tidying up the place.

"Let's start the distillation machine, and bring out a new set of mugs I bought." Tifa said and they went to the backroom.

Tifa started setting the distillation process. It wouldn't be long before they had a good stock of the Corel liquor that made the people forget about their sadness.

The "Seventh Heaven's Bar" which Tifa had opened after settling in Edge, was a place where people went to drink and forget. Forget about the past. Midgar went through nasty and chaotic times, even before Sephiroth's attack. Then the One Winged Angel and later Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz had left a new trail of disgrace. Homes destroyed, innocents killed, families devastated.

The machine started to simmer the liquids producing a monotonous humming that Jenn could hear as she took the boxes of mug sets and some fresh ingredients Tifa used to cook simple meals.

She was taking the glass mugs carefully out of the boxes when she faintly heard the roar of a powerful motorcycle and children laughing outside the place. She started towards the door, when Marlene and Denzel broke in running, only to stop dead in their tracks before her.

Both children stared wide-eyed at her for a second, before backing away and running out the door again. Jenn followed them.

"Marlene, wait!" she called after the girl. But the children were so scared that they didn't stop to look back. Jenn went out the bar and saw Denzel and Marlene dash behind a young blond man who had gotten off the motorcycle. A huge sword was in his hand. As soon as he set eyes on Jenn, his features hardened.

"Impossible!" The man exclaimed.

Jenn recognized him from the picture in Tifa's office.

"You are one of Tifa's friends" Jenn said as he approached her, fury evident in his sky blue eyes.

"Tifa!" The man exclaimed "What have you done to her?" He readied his sword and charged forward. Jenn gave a great leap to the side as his sword struck the ground open. She turned and ran, with her aggressor at her heels. Tifa came running out the bar. Marlene and Denzel rushed up to her.

"What's going on?" She asked worried.

"Cloud is chasing one of the bad guys!" The boy said excitedly.

Tifa realized with dismay that Denzel meant Jenn. Cloud had finished his work sooner and he was back a lot earlier than expected. She rushed inside, to the phone.

People screamed and got out of the way when they saw Cloud's Buster sword gleaming in his hands. A passer by stared wide eyed at Jenn as she ran, almost a burr. "It's impossible! She must be..." and ran off.

Jenn jumped high up to the roof of a house and then almost flew to the iron bars above, on top of a half-finifshed building. But the blond man was equally swift and she couldn't lose him. Jenn's heart was beating frantically. She was scared, nobody but Vincent had ever been able to surpass her before. Vincent had been an opponent when they met, but this was different.

The young man was aiming to kill.

He gave a tremendous leap and landed in front of her. Jenn regretted leaving her own sword at Tifa's bar.

Cloud swung his sword at her, but she managed to avoid it. Then she tried to kick him, but he jumped. Seeing him aiming his sword at her again, she made a risky move: letting the weapon almost reach her, she dodged it in the last moment.

When the blade struck the floor, she cart-wheeled over it, keeping the blade down with her bare hands. Ignoring the sharp pain as it cut her palms; she delivered Cloud a kick with both legs, as hard as she could. He let go of his sword and was sent tumbling back and off the building.

That gave her time to leap across several roofs. She reached a tall building and looked around. She couldn't see her pursuer anywhere.

"I lost him!", she sighed. Still breathing fast, she examined the cuts on her hands, which bled profusely.

She was taken totally off guard when she heard a shout from above.

"Aaaaah!" it was a furious, loud roar rather than a shout. Cloud was descending from above her, glowing sword first.

That was it. She was going to die.

All seemed to happen in slow motion: The sword coming straight at her, bullets bouncing against the metal blade, the sword flying out of Clouds hands and a red blur enveloping her and pulling her back, a hard iron grip around her waist.

"Vincent!" Cloud exclaimed in astonishment.

"She is the enemy" Vincent said in his impassive voice. He had his clawed arm around her and a smoking, three barreled gun in his other hand.

"She was after Marlene!" Cloud shouted, still angry.

"What happened, Jenn?" Vincent asked, looking down at her and putting his Cerberus gun back in its holster, but still not loosening his grip on her.

"Marlene came to the bar and I ran to meet her. I didn't remember that she hadn't seen my face before. I guess I scared her" Jenn explained, in a guilty voice.

"Vincent! Are you crazy? How can you trust her?" Cloud was still shouting, ready to jump into battle as soon as Vincent released Jenn.

"She is not an enemy" Vincent repeated "She's already staying at Tifa's place"

"Tifa!" Cloud exclaimed wildly "I have to go there, she could be hurt!"

"She is not. She just called me on the phone" Vincent assured.

Cloud kept silent. He finally seemed to be calming down and taking in the real situation.

"I do not trust her." He muttered, frowning stubbornly.

Jenn broke away from Vincent's hold and walked traight to Cloud. "I did not ask to be what I am. I know I'm a monster, and that my brothers caused much pain to you and your friends. But I'm not like them!"

Jenn's voice broke, but her face was stern "It's not my fault to have this cursed blood! I have a choice and I choose not to be like my brothers! I choose to be good!"

Cloud was dumbfounded as he watched her eyes – Sephiroth's eyes – melt in sincere tears that streamed down her cheeks, her face still flushed by the effort of her escape.

"I'm not like them!" She said fiercely, holding Cloud's stare.

Vincent walked up and stood behind her. He put his clawed hand on her shoulder. Jenn wiped her tears with her hands, smudging her face with her own blood.

"I jumped to conclusions. I'm sorry." Cloud said softly, lowering his head.

She nodded at him. "Everybody gets the wrong impression of me" she said in a hushed voice, still trying to wipe her tears, being able only to stain her face further.

"We have to bandage your hands" Vincent told her. "Let's go back to Tifa's and we'll all have a talk."

Tifa was dismayed when she saw her friend's face covered in blood, and only calmed down after she had Jenn clean, bandaged and had scolded Cloud for attacking without a second thought.

Before the tavern opened, Tifa, Cloud, Vincent, Marlene, Denzel and Jenn were sitting at a table. Jenn explained her story briefly and told them how Vincent had found her.

"I'm sorry I caused you people so much trouble." Jenn said sadly. "I will leave tonight, so nobody will see me. Or tomorrow morning at the latest."

"Where would you go?" asked Tifa.

"I've been going from here to there for two years" Jenn told them, her bandaged hands over the table "I guess I could just go on like that until I can find a place to settle."

"I think you should stay" said Tifa "After all, you were a real help around the place this morning, and you can have the spare room."

"That is a good idea" said Cloud "What do you think, Marlene?"

The girl looked unsure.

"I think she is still afraid of me" Jenn said quietly.

"I want her to stay" Marlene answered. "You look like Kadaj, but you were very nice to me when we met."

"I think it's cool to have a nice Sephiroth." Denzel piped in.

"Denzel!" Tifa reprimanded.

"We will not force you to stay longer than you want to. Anytime you decide to leave, you are free to do so." Vincent said.

"I don't want to cause more trouble" Jenn said.

"You won't cause any trouble" Tifa said pretending a warning as she winked at her. "We are all going to keep an eye on you."

Jenn smiled at them "I'll stay. I like this place and being with you people."

They all looked happy.

"Great!" Marlene exclaimed.

"You are our friend now. Welcome to the AVALANCHE gang." Cloud said.

"How about some freshly made juice, everybody?" Tifa proposed.

As the gang cheered and Tifa passed the glasses, they didn't notice a stranger peeking thru the window. He dialed a number on his cell phone.

"I know where she is." He said and hung up.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

_Lonely hearts, troubled minds_

_Looking for a way that we can never find*_

Jenn made her best to help Tifa at the bar. Jenn had expected rejection because of her looks, and she was clumsy and nervous. But to her great surprise, people seemed to like her. She easily gained practice and gradually improved her self confidence.

Men came from everywhere to meet the silver-haired lady and, of course, to have a drink.

"You are a real attraction!" Tifa told Jenn one day. "I don't remember having so many customers before you came!"

"I'm glad I can be of some help." Jenn smiled meekly.

"Even Vincent is jealous of so many men around you" Tifa added.

"What?" Jenn blushed.

"He calls every now and then, but he doesn't want you to know. And he never visited this place before he brought you" her friend said.

Jenn smiled and lowered her gaze. She saw Vincent once a week and she anxiously anticipated his visits.

"I am grateful to him as I am to all of you for everything." She said.

"He likes you." Tifa continued. "And you like him, I can tell. You make a nice couple."

"Tifa, what things you say!" Jenn blushed crimson.

"It would do well to that lone wolf to have somebody like you." Tifa finished.

A few days later Vincent dropped by. He always came before Tifa opened the bar, but today he showed up later than usual. Jenn was busy with a tray, delivering drinks to a table with several young men. One of them was staring at her, his mouth slightly gaping. But as soon as Vincent walked up to Jenn giving the man a sharp look; he took his eyes off her; shrank in his seat and concentrated on his drink.

When she turned she almost bumped into Vincent.

"Oh, Vincent!" Jenn passed a nervous hand over her hair. "I thought you wouldn't come today, we are already open!"

It was hard to tell this sweet, easygoing woman from the scared, lost one he had rescued not long ago. He had become attached to her in some way; just entering the place and seeing her eyes lighting up at him gave him a sense of belonging he couldn't explain.

She was so pretty and had an easy, heart-lifting smile. Everytime he saw her, he would remember how she had embraced him in the forest.

Jenn gazed into his blood red eyes.

He was very good looking; she couldn't understand why he kept his face hidden and never smiled, as if he carried a heavy burden.

Every time she saw him, she remembered his warmth when he held her back in the woods and could still hear him saying "I won't let anyone harm you. Ever."

"Are you going stare at each other all day?" Tifa broke in.

They both turned embarrassed.

"I'll come tomorrow" Vincent said.

"No need. Jenn is taking the day off" Tifa told him from behind the bar.

"Are you sure, Tifa?" Jenn asked.

"Of course, go on! Who do you think took care of this place before you came?" Tifa gave them a complicity smile.

Vincent buried his face behind his cloak's high collar.

"Thank you, Tifa!" Jenn cried merrily. She took Vincent's metal clawed hand and hauled him out the bar, followed by the envious stares of several men.

"I'm so happy to see you! Jenn told him "They say there's a theater and some people are putting up a play! If we hurry we could get there before it starts."

"I want to show you something else" He said, recoiling at the thought of being in a crowded place. He took her on a long walk across the city.

"Why don't you stay in Edge, with your friends?" She asked him.

"I don't like the city. I prefer the peace and quiet rather that the crowds and loud noises." He explained.

"But you live apart from everything. You barely see your friends. Don't you feel... lonely?" she inquired.

"No" he said in his usual monotone.

Jenn was silent for a moment. Then she spoke again, "I did feel lonely before I met all of you. Having Tifa, Marlene... even that grouchy Cloud as friends, gives me a feeling of belonging. I feel peace around them; sometimes I even forget what I am."

He thought about it and for a moment wished he could forget about many things, too. "I feel happy for you" He finally replied.

The Seventh Heaven bar was in the outskirts of town. They reached the city limits and kept walking, leaving the known road and making their own path.

"But I'm especially thankful for meeting you" she added.

Vincent didn't answer. Jenn felt suddenly ashamed of what she had said. Maybe he disliked her comment. She didn't say anything else.

After a long silent walk, he finally stopped.

"This is what I wanted to show you." He announced.

When she looked ahead she saw they were before a small land depression that had turned into a lovely field of flowers.

The grass was emerald green and it moved like the rippling waters of a lake when the wind blew. Spots of pink, white, yellow and red flowers made colorful islands in it; contrasting with the desertic panorama that spread all around them.

"This place is beautiful!" She said as she gazed about.

"I thought you might like it. Nobody comes here, so it's a good quiet place to be alone and think."

She saddened and turned back to him "I don't want to be alone."

She searched his eyes. He had a strange look on his face.

"Jenn, don't look at me that way." He said

"Vincent, I… " she started. But her words failed her. She was again that scared, vulnerable girl he had found in the forest. Her heart beating so hard she thought it would burst out of her chest.

His own heart marked each beat like a relentless drum, going faster as he looked into her eyes, wanting to go forward as the chains of his past painfully pulled him back.

"Jenn..." he didn't know what to say. He had been alone for a long time; he had learned to need nobody. But it was there, that feeling creeping into his heart. Aching, longing, wanting, threatening to get out of control.

But also there was that other sensation of void in the pit of his stomach. He hated it. It was fear. But fear of what? Of falling in love again? Of repeating the sins of his past? He couldn't forgive himself and he didn't deserve to live on and love again.

He knew what she meant to say a moment before, but he had been speechless, refusing to believe she could really feel something for him. He almost felt happy, to believe this time he could be corresponded. But a shadow from his past fell upon him. Jenn didn't know who he was or what he was. Yet, his own origin was linked to hers.

But the memory of that other person from his past, that event that was burned in his heart and mind made impossible for him to let go of himself. It would be betrayal. He just couldn't let go.

Jenn gazed at Vincent as he stood before her, his red eyes intent on her, his body still as if he were holding his breath. She couldn't know about the battle taking place inside him, she just encountered silence.

He finally regained movement, turned his eyes down and then away. She felt as if she had been stabbed in the middle of her chest. The pain was sharp, too real for a mere heartache caused by rejection.

She turned away from him and said "I'm sorry. I spoke too much nonsense. I better go back to the bar and help Tifa."

"Jenn…" he said again. She turned, but he seemed to be incapable of saying anything else. He only stared at her with sorrowful eyes.

"You don't have to say anything. I know we are friends. Aren't we?" she smiled, but her ice blue eyes said everything.

She was hurt, he had hurt her and she was pretending nothing had happened. He knew she thought he was rejecting her, and he knew very well what rejection was.

Her heart was crushing, but he just didn't know what to say. He didn't want her to go, but he truly believed she deserved a good, happy life; a life he was incapable of giving her. It would be better to let her go now. He already carried an unforgivable sin. This time he thought he would die if she suffered because of him.

He approached, slowly reaching up with his clawless hand and softly caressed her cheek; taking in her features avidly with his gaze, as he did the first time. He felt his own heart breaking again. She closed her eyes and tilted her head, leaning her face on his palm as she accepted his touch.

"Remember my promise. I will always protect you" he managed to say. And he meant it. He would protect her even from himself.

"You stay just because of that promise?" she asked sadly.

She was threatening to demolish in one blow the barrier he had been putting around his heart along many years. He didn't want her to come to harm and didn't want to repeat his sins. Happiness and love were out of his grasp forever.

Vincent tried to elaborate a proper response when the sound of footsteps broke their moment.

"Aaw! Look at those pretty love birds!" said a mocking voice.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

They were instantly ready to fight. A group of six armed men in black suits surrounded them.

"Who are you? What do you want?" asked Vincent as he stood protectively by Jenn.

"We want the girl. Hand her over and there will be no problems" demanded the man who had spoken before.

"As if I were about to do that" Vincent snarled.

"We knew you would say that" The man pulled out his gun and the other five did the same.

"Five against one. How unfair... for you" Vincent told the man.

"Jenn, as soon as I jump, you run away out of here" Vincent whispered to her.

"I'm not leaving without you!" She whispered back, determined to fight by his side.

"They are after you, not me. You must get away from here!"

"Please return safe" she said at last, agreeing to his plan.

He leapt into the air and the men started shooting after him. He moved fast in the air, only his red cloak was visible, as if it had a life of its own. He started to shoot back, wounding arms and legs.

She immediately threw herself against one of the attackers, knocking him down and ran back to the city. One shooter aimed at her, but the man who had spoken first pushed the other's gun out of aim, making him shoot into the sky.

"He wants her alive, you fool!" he scolded his partner and then shouted into a radio "She's escaping, move! Move! Move!"

As soon as he gave this order, a helicopter came into view. It went after Jenn as she ran like the wind towards the city. No regular human would've been able to catch up with her.

"Jenn!" Vincent shouted desperately when he saw the helicopter. Out of nowhere, two cars showed up, speeding towards him. He had already put the five shooters out of combat.

"You really thought there were only a few of us? We have been planning this for months!" The first man said from the ground where he laid, holding his wounded leg.

He raised his gun and emptied the magazine against Vincent; who avoided the bullets with unnatural agility. He reached the man and knocked him out with one blow with his clawed iron fist.

Then he ran after Jenn, but one of the cars kept getting in his way. He flew over it easily, but the driver was trying his best to run him down. The men in the vehicle were also shooting at him, keeping him busy. Vincent shot back at the car's engine, but the vehicle was armored. Meanwhile the helicopter had thrown a net with a cable over Jenn. She fell, unable to break free.

As soon as they had Jenn secured in the net, the helicopter gained altitude and carried her away. The car that had been after Vincent veered and sped away.

The second car had already picked up the rest of the men and was also getting away at full speed. Vincent shot at them, but he couldn't stop them.

He could only gaze, powerless, as the helicopter faded from sight.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Here she is, Sir." A tall, dark, bald man said as he pushed the woman forward. Her hands and feet had been heavily chained and she could barely move.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" She asked.

"It's real pity we couldn't meet before, my dear Jenn." The second man said "My name is Rufus Shin-Ra."

Jenn gasped. "You are the one who created those monsters!"

"Thanks for the credit, but actually it was Professor Hojo who created you... one of his finest jobs."

She didn't answer. She clenched her teeth and glared at the man.

"But I bet you don't know what kind of 'monster' you really are." He continued "Do you? Well, let me tell you."

Shin-Ra turned to his man and ordered: "Rude, take our guest to the honor room; we don't want to waste any time."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Who were those men?" Tifa asked.

"I don't know. I had never seen them before." Vincent said as he leaned against the wall at the bar. "But there's only one man who would go through such trouble for the last of Jenova's children"

"Shin-Ra" Said Cloud in a low voice from his stool.

"Is he trying to bring Sephiroth back again?" Tifa questioned, pacing back and forth.

"I don't know, after all the trouble Kadaj and his brothers gave him. But whatever he's scheming, Jenn is in the middle of it" Vincent pointed out.

"We have to get her back! Shin-Ra could use her to create more soldiers!" Tifa exclaimed, slamming her hand over the bar.

They were talking in a corner behind the bar. They were keeping his voices down, the bar was still busy but they had no other place to talk.

"He will surely try to continue his experiments to create Soldiers" Cloud said, fisting his hands.

"But where do we find her? They could have her anywhere!" Tifa said impatiently.

"They seemed to head in the direction of the old Shin-Ra Plant." Vincent replied thoughtfully "It would be the perfect hideout."

"Then, what are we waiting for?" said Cloud.

"I'll have to close the bar" Tifa said and proceeded to ask her customers to evacuate the place, saying only that an emergency had come up and that they didn't have to pay what they had consumed.

Cloud helped her get all the people out. The minutes dragged by. It seemed forever to Vincent, but in a little while the bar was empty and closed.

They prepared to leave. Cloud stayed still for a moment. "It's repeating..." He said.

"I know" Tifa came and put a hand on his shoulder. "But remember, you are not alone."

As they got on their vehicles, Cloud couldn't help thinking about his last battle against Sephiroth, and Sephiroth's words before being destroyed: "I will never be a memory."

And he would never be, if he was brought back again, using Jenn. Maybe – he recoiled at the thought – dozens of Sephiroths.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Jenn was out of the chains, but these had only been replaced by iron clamps that held her feet fixed down and her hands up, as she hung inside a glass cylinder.

A metal helmet sprouting with wires was fixed to her head.

"Before we continue, let me tell you who you really are." Shin-Ra paced before her and he cleared his throat.

"As you might now know, Jenova was the source of all Soldiers. Sephiroth was the greatest of them all. Then, when he found out about his origins, he turned against us.

"Of course, we had planned ahead in case something like that happened. So, using our best technology, Hojo had made a genetic copy of Jenova. But this backup was too small and fragile to keep in the labs, she was just a baby.

"But that is not all the story. Have you heard the saying, 'don't put all your eggs in the same basket? Well..."

He stood next to her as she looked at him from the corner of her eye. He continued:

"We entrusted the baby to one of our men. He traveled a great distance, to hide you away. We even gave him one of our prototype swords, which could channel and amplify ten times the owner's power, making it a mass destruction weapon in the hands of a Soldier.

Jenn's eyes widened in horror as she realized that the baby he was talking about was herself.

"Ah, I see you understand now." Shin-Ra said.

"Unfortunately, my man had a regret attack and killed himself, leaving us in total darkness as to where you were.

Good thing the sword's hilt had an inscription to make sure that somebody would come searching for answers." he paused to look at her "Don't tell me you lost your sword..."

"I cannot be what you say!" She denied. Her was voice barely audible from inside the tube. "I have no such power! I cannot be Jenova!"

"You just haven't awakened!" Shin-Ra said as he threw his hands up "You don't know how to use it! Ah, but we do..." he emphasized lifting his index finger.

"Liar!" she shouted.

"Oh, c'mon. Still don't believe me? Even your name is a code: 'Jenn' is short for 'Jenova'. And don't tell me you couldn't feel your own sons calling out for you!" He laughed cynically.

Jenn's tears ran hot down her cheeks. It was impossible. The calling she had felt two years ago must've been Sephiroth himself, and the latest call came from no others than Kadaj and his brothers, looking for her, calling her desperately to their 'Reunion'. The sorrow she felt for them was in her blood, for they were not her brothers. They were all part of her, in a way, her children.

"Let's begin, men. Fill it up!" Shin-Ra ordered.

The tube started filling rapidly with a strange, clear liquid.

"It will take us a few days to connect all the equipment to you, but don't worry. Your pain will be rewarded, and you will see your sons and daughters flourish, even more powerful that Sephiroth himself!" Her captor boasted "All armed with swords like yours, when we get the prototype back from your friends, of course."

"I will not let you!" shouted Jenn before the liquid covered her. She held her breath until she felt her lungs burning. She coughed and gasped, liquid entering by her mouth and nose into her throat.

It was the most horrifying, desperate feeling. But then she realized she could breathe with no trouble.

She opened her eyes. The liquid stung them for a while, her vision blurred. Just then, she felt as if an earthquake were taking place inside her head.

She felt as if she had received an electric shock. Images flooded her mind and she felt something snap inside of her, in the back of her awareness.

Her anger rose. Blue energy floated around her, making the liquid splash and bubble inside the tube. The tube started to vibrate, for a moment it seemed it would burst. But then, her power ceased to flow.

"What's this?" thought Jenn.

"You think I'm stupid?" Shin-Ra laughed "You have to awake your power, but I won't let you use it against us. How do you think I kept the original Jenova here? Your mind is ours as long as you have that helmet on."

There was not a single air bubble inside the tube now. Jenns vision was still somewhat blurred and she could faintly hear Rufu's voice.

"The Shin-Ra Company will be again the empire it used to be, thanks to you." He said as he left the room, leaving her fixed by the iron clamps inside the tube, enraged and helpless.

"I cannot live being what I am..." she thought, heartbroken "...Vincent..."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

_Many roads are ahead of us,_

_With choices to be made._

_But life's just one of the games we play,_

_There is no special way_.*

"How many men do you think they have guarding the place?" Cloud shouted, so the others would hear him over the roaring engines.

Cloud was riding his Fenrir motorcycle and Tifa was driving an old truck. Vincent was sitting next to Tifa. They were all traveling at full speed across the rocky terrain.

"Can't be many." Vincent said "I put six out of combat, but don't forget the Turks."

Tifa shouted back to Cloud. "No matter how many they are, we'll get Jenn back!"

"This is going to end today" said Cloud and he sped ahead.

"Don't worry, Vincent" Tifa said, trying to soothe him "I'm sure we will get there on time. We'll get her back."

Vincent tightened his grip on Jenn's sword, which he held on his lap. He hoped he didn't have to keep his promise to Jenn, of delivering the final blow.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Rufus Shin-Ra was supervising all procedures in person. A while ago they had started racking her brain, scanning wave patterns, awakening her genetic memory, analyzing her brain structures and she didn't know what else.

Horrible and violent images filled her mind, and she realized she was seeing through the eyes of Sephiroth and the original Jenova... and feeling what they felt, knowing their thoughts.

Jenn screamed as she felt she would loose her mind in a pool of pain. Of course, no sound came out.

A mechanical arm had inserted needles with catheters into her arms and her blood was now steadily circulating through an analyzer and samples were being collected.

Rufus had said that later on, they would insert a tube in her stomach and pull out her intestines, so feeding her wouldn't be a hassle.

He also said that the genetic samples taken from her were going to be treated and implanted in test 'volunteers'.

"We'll make an initial test creating five Soldiers" he said casually "they will be born as adults. Isn't it wonderful? You won't have to wait to see them grow. They will be calling us Mother and Father as soon as they come out of their capsules!"

Where did he get these 'volunteers'? She didn't want to know.

Meanwhile, Cloud, Tifa and Vincent were reaching the plant. Trees were growing everywhere and the place was practically a jungle.

"It's a giant maze! How are we going to find her?" exclaimed Tifa.

"I think I know where they could be." Cloud said as he took out his sword from the motorcycle "Although I wish I could forget this place."

"I think the same way" Vincent muttered.

They followed the blond warrior into the old Shin-Ra plant thru an old emergency exit and ran as fast as they could along corridors without end.

Finally they reached a closed door.

"This wasn't here if I remember well" Cloud said. "Stay back!" He warned as he lifted his sword and stroke twice. The heavy iron door fell to pieces as if it was made of cardboard and the alarms started howling.

The trio followed the corridor that led to a large room were about a dozen capsules all tangled up in wires were open ready for people to be put in. Five of them were closed, and already occupied, because they could hear the faint screams and calls for help from inside them.

They rushed past them, but Vincent stayed behind. Cloud and Tifa stopped and turned. Without word, he moved swiftly from one capsule to the other, striking each one's control pad with his iron clad fist.

"Get out! Go away!" Vincent shouted.

The doors popped open and five terrorized men –the men who had helped to kidnap Jenn – jumped out and ran away screaming. Not minding the pain from the injuries gotten during their fight with Vincent.

"You don't know how lucky you are" Vincent muttered as he saw them running away.

Just after that, four armed men attacked Cloud and Tifa. But they were no match for the three friends. Vincent shot the guns out of one of the men's hands. Cloud sliced in half two of the other men's weapons and Tifa knocked the last one down. Shortly after, the four attackers lay on the floor unable to move.

The three friends dashed up the stairs and Cloud tore another door open. They were in the lab now. There were vials of all kinds, huge machines, instruments and cables ran everywhere.

There they found Shin-Ra, leaning over a table full of papers, packing a suitcase as fast as he could.

"Shin-Ra!" Cloud shouted "You crazy bastard!"

"Where's Jenn?" asked Vincent stepping forward.

Rufus cursed under his breath and called his guards. Three armed men and a woman rushed into the lab from another door as he quickly grabbed several test tubes and exited the lab. The AVALANCHE gang knew them well: Rude, Reno, Tseng and Elena.

Shin-Ra's elite hit-men, the Turks, started the attack. Cloud blocked the bullets as he and his friends retreated to the capsule room.

"Reno! How can you do this?" asked Cloud as he swung the sword, deflecting the bullets. Reno and Rude had helped AVALANCHE before, when Kadaj and his brothers were on the loose.

"Sorry, man. Nothing personal, the boss is the boss, you know." Reno said in his usual 'I don't care' tone.

Tifa shielded herself behind one of the capsules and jumped over Tseng as he passed by shooting. Tifa disarmed him and they started to fight. They exchanged blows and kicks as the rest fought as well.

Vincent moved from side to side, up and down. The enemy could only see the red cloak as a blur. Then, Vincent shot back and disarmed Rude and Elena, knocking them down afterwards, with two blows from his iron gauntlet.

Reno and Cloud clashed their weapons. Reno smiled at him and sent a shock wave thru Cloud's sword, startling him for a few seconds. Reno tried to hit him, but Cloud was swifter and Reno was soon rolling across the floor, defeated.

Meanwhile Tseng had recovered his weapon and was about to shoot Tifa when Vincent knocked him down from behind. His limp body fell at Tifa's feet.

"Men always drop at my feet, don't they?" she smiled at Vincent.

Vincent just moved her head and didn't reply.

Reno managed to get up and scrambled to the lab's door, were he stood blocking the way.

"Reno, get away from that door!" Cloud demanded.

"I can't!" He replied nervously.

"Reno, you have to tell us where's Jenn!" urged Tifa.

The AVALANCHE gang took the stairs to the door Reno was blocking.

Behind the three friends, Rude was getting up, rubbing the back of his head. He took his weapon and aimed at them.

"Don't let this nightmare start all over again." Cloud said angrily to Reno.

"Move away from that door, Reno." Rude grunted.

They all turned to look at the tall bald man with the gun.

Reno's mouth gaped "but, but, but Rude!"

"Move it!" Rude shouted.

"I'm not moving!" Reno said stubbornly.

Tifa, Cloud and Vincent started up the stairs towards Reno, who held his metal rod nervously, swinging it like a baseball bat and pretending to look menacing.

Two shots sent sparks flying very close to him. The gang ducked. Rude's gun was smoking, but he hadn't aimed at any of them. He had fired only warning shots.

"Ok, al right! I get the idea" said Reno "Just don't kill the boss, ok?"

Reno stepped away from the door and the group hurried up.

"Hey!" Rude yelled after them "The girl you are looking for, take the door to your right!"

Vincent turned and nodded to Rude.

"Please don't tell the boss we let you thru." Rude said under his breath. Then he called his partner "Reno! Help me get Tseng and Elena. I have the feeling that this will have an explosive ending."

The alarms kept howling as the party took the door Rude had indicated. The center of the lab was dominated by a huge glass tube. Jenn was inside it.

Vincent rushed to it and hit it with his fists.

"Jenn! Jenn! Can you hear me?" He called desperately.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked wearily at him, but she didn't even stir. He could see pain and deep sorrow in her slitted eyes. She held his gaze pleadingly. "Kill me... Keep your promise... Please kill me!" They seemed to urge him. And they were closed once again.

Vincent winced. Seeing her like that broke his own heart. All was happening again. The guilt was unbearable.

"You are all too late." A voice said. It was Rufus Shin-Ra. "I have enough genetic samples here to start my work all over again." He tapped a metallic briefcase.

Vincent pulled his three barreled weapon out and aimed at him, but Shin-Ra dashed behind the glass tube.

"You wouldn't shoot your own friend, would you?" he said to Vincent.

"He will not get away with this" Tifa said as she and Cloud started going around the tube, one on each side.

"One more step and the girl is history!" Shin-Ra said angrily as he reached into his coat pocket and raised his hand, holding a remote control. Cloud and Tifa froze. "I leave the place, you get the girl and we are all happy."

"I can't let you do that." Vincent said impassively, but his voice was venom.

Cloud and Tifa turned to look at their friend. He hadn't lowered his gun and was still aiming at Shin-Ra, thru Jenn's body.

"You wouldn't..." Shin-Ra started to say in disbelief.

"I promised to Jenn..." Vincent said, baring his teeth like a feral beast "that I would be the one to kill her."

His friends were shocked, as was Shin-Ra, when Vincent repeatedly fired his Demon gun at Jenn.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

_Make the best of what's given to you,_

_Everything will come in time._

_Why deny yourself, don't just let life pass you by_

_Like winter in July.*_

The glass bursted in pieces, the wires were ripped from the helmet. The chains that held up Jenn's hands in the iron clamps were broken by the bullets from the massive weapon.

Jenn fell, blood flowing from her body.

Shin-Ra fell to the floor as well, clutching his arm and scrambled thru a back door.

"Tifa! Take care of Jenn." Vincent threw Jenn's sword at Tifa and she caught it. "Cloud, we can't let Shin-Ra get away with that case!" And they ran in hot pursuit.

Tifa leaned next to Jenn and searched her to see where the blood came from. Soon, she discovered the needles in her arms and pulled them out. Other that that, she only had cuts from the bursting glass.

"The bullets didn't even touch her! Vincent can sure aim like the devil!" Tifa thought as she looked for a way to remove the heavy iron clamps that held Jenn's hands and feet.

But she had to step back as a blue energy started to flow from her friend's body.

Jenn opened her eyes, and they shone like white fire. The iron clamps cracked open and her wounds closed. Jenn floated to stand upright.

"Jenn?" Tifa called.

The woman advanced towards Tifa, baring her teeth like an animal, her eyes shining threateningly, as the other quickly got up.

"Jenn! It's me, Tifa!" she tried to make her come to her senses as she stepped back. "Remember Vincent and Cloud?"

Jenn blinked "Tifa?" she said slowly. The energy dissipated and her glowing eyes returned to normal.

The other woman sighed with relief "Are you all right?"

"I think so" Jenn replied. Then her anger returned. "Tifa! You have to get out and as far away as you can. This place is going to be history!"

"Cloud and Vincent went after Shin-Ra." Tifa informed her and handed Jenn the sword. "We have to go after them!"

"No." Jenn replied immediately "Get away from this place. This madness has to be ended, and I don't want you to get caught here."

"Jenn! Don't do it!" Tifa called after her as Jenn walked out the same exit Rufus had gone through. "What about Vincent?"

Jenn turned, sword glowing with energy. "Thank you, Tifa. Thank all of you for giving me the great happiness of being my friends" She swung the sword effortlessly and she was gone.

Tifa shielded herself with her arms as the door and corridor exploded and collapsed. The air itself felt explosive. Jenn had awakened Jenova's terrible power within her.

Tifa understood. She went out the way they had come in.

Rufus had reached his helicopter and was managing to take off when Cloud and Vincent showed up.

Cloud armed his sword and sent an explosive pulse at the helicopter, cutting its tail. The helicopter spun out of control and crashed sideways.

A desperate Rufus crawled out, still holding the metallic briefcase. There was blood on his shoulder, from one of Vincent's bullets and his forehead had an open wound too. Rufus ran and Vincent shot again, tearing the case from the other's hands and destroying it, along with Jenn's genetic information.

Rufus froze as he looked down at the spilled liquids and broken case.

He had lost everything and he was cornered. Cloud and Vincent approached slowly.

"You fools! You don't know what you have done!" He howled wildly "You leave me no other choice!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a syringe.

"I had saved this for further testing, but I guess I might as well test it now." And injected himself with its dark contents." This, my friends, is genetic material combined with a common virus. This is Jenova's – or may I say – Jenn's new legacy."

"Jenn's?" The two friends were shocked.

The empty syringe fell as Rufus bent in pain and convulsed. His hair began to turn grayish and his now slitted eyes shone a bright icy-blue.

"He injected himself with Jenova cells!" Cloud exclaimed.

Finally transformed, Rufus Shin-Ra stood straight and faced them. His gray hair had grown shoulder length and his eyes shone evilly.

"What a marvelous strength!" He boasted "I can feel the power coursing through my veins! Why did I never try this before?" He laughed maniacally.

"Cloud, no!" Vincent warned, but it was too late. Cloud was a hasty, stubborn fighter. He was already attacking Rufus.

The blond warrior's strength was great. He attacked the enemy with all his might. They jumped and leaped all about the building's ruinous roof. But Rufus easily avoided all the sword blows.

Cloud's Buster sword cut down towers and sent full pieces of the ceiling they were standing on, crashing into depths below. Rufus laughed, it was no trouble for him fighting Cloud. In fact, Vincent could see, Rufus was toying with him.

Cloud started glowing gold and he dealt a mortal blow over Rufus's head, but he stopped the blade with one hand as the floor cracked open with the power Cloud was giving out.

"I am not like Sephiroth" Rufus told him "I am now like Jenova herself."

The force of the blow Rufus gave him sent Cloud flying away, unconscious.

Rufus flew after him, intending to kill him, but was distracted by Vincent, who was shooting his Demon gun at him.

Rufus avoided the bullets and came after Vincent. But a powerful energy blow sent him away.

"Jenn!" Vincent exclaimed, as he saw her running towards him.

"Are you all right? Where's Tifa?" He asked.

"I told her to get away of this place. You and Cloud have to do the same." She urged him.

"If we are going, we are all leaving together!" He said.

"You must go! Can't you see? This nightmare won't end until all of Jenova has been destroyed."

"Jenova was destroyed in the last battle!" Vincent pointed out.

"I am Jenova!" She yelled at him, desperate.

He stared at her in disbelief. He knew it was true, but he couldn't accept it. His heart was being thorn between doing the right thing and his feelings for Jenn.

"Vincent, I thank you for keeping your promise... of protecting me." She told him. But now, I want to protect you."

"Oh, how cute!" A voice came "Makes me want to throw up!" A lightning-like energy blow sent both Jenn and Vincent flying away. Vincent's gun was knocked out of his hand, as was Jenn's sword.

Rufus stood proudly before her when Jenn looked up. He lifted her up by her hair.

"Now that I have your power... I might need you no more. But I will keep your head just in case." He threw her up in the air and started concentrating a mass of energy to destroy Jenn.

Suddenly, a mighty kick sent him down.

"You are utterly crazy" Cloud said and prepared his sword.

Shin-Ra got up and faced Cloud.

"Cloud!" He turned his head and saw Jenn, who had landed up-right.

"Jenn, get out of here!" Cloud shouted.

"No, you get out of here, Cloud! He has my cells, he is stronger that Sephiroth!" Jenn told him

"Take Vincent and get away from this place. It will be turning into hell soon." She shouted at him.

Cloud reluctantly stepped aside and went to Vincent.

"Now, you..." she glared at Shin-Ra.

They fought with powerful blows and kicks. Jenn recovered her sword, but it made no difference. In the battlefield, Jenn was still an unskilled fighter and Rufus soon knocked her sword out of her hands, gave a mighty blow to her stomach and a kick that sent her flying away.

She rolled and skidded across the floor.

Cloud was helping Vincent up. The cloaked man was still dizzy from Shin-Ra's electric blow.

Jenn got up and started glowing. Her eyes shone intensely.

Rufus was in the air, coming straight at her, a mass of energy in his hands and his eyes also shone, but less brightly.

"You were stupid taking my blood!" She said "Now I'll make it burn inside you!"

Shin-Ra bent in sudden pain and fell, the energy ball exploding in mid air with a loud thunder noise. He tried to get up, but he couldn't. His body was burning in blue flames as Jenn stood in front of him. It was like the Geostigma's sharp pain and ill effects, but many times worse.

"I will destroy my own cells inside you." Cloud and Vincent heard her say "But don't worry about your life, you might end up a cripple, but your punishment is to live."

She continued to burn her own cells inside Shin-Ra's body as he howled in pain.

"No!" Yelled Rufus. In a desperate outburst of energy, Shin-Ra knocked Jenn back a few meters.

"Jenn!" Vincent shouted and pushed Cloud aside to rush to her. Cloud saw Rufus bend and pick up something. It was Vincent's Demon gun.

"How convenient!" Shin-Ra smiled, weak and panting. He aimed at Jenn, while she was getting up.

"Vincent!" Cloud shouted.

It all happened in seconds. Shin-Ra shot several times at Jenn.

There was a red blur and she felt herself being surrounded by a familiar warmth and iron hard grip. She realized Vincent was holding her.

She felt the impacts through Vincent's body. He winced in pain and his streght abandoned him. They both fell down as his knees gave out.

Rufus couldn't pull the trigger again. Cloud threw his sword and he had to let go of the gun or have his arms cut away from his body.

"Vincent! Vincent!" She called him as she cradled him in her arms, crying.

"Why did you do that?"

He opened his eyes weakly and attempted to speak, but the pain didn't let him.

Shin-Ra was already running away. His hair was back to normal, but his eyes still glowed. Cloud went after him, but a loud scream made them both stop.

Jenn, still kneeling, holding Vincent in her arms, glowed with fiery intensity and the light from her eyes was blinding. The wind started to blow violently and dark clouds turned the sky gray.

Rufus Shin-Ra fell to his knees, consumed once more by the blue flames that burned him inside out. But this time, it was different. His screams made Cloud's blood chill. Shin-Ra's flesh started to scorch.

Finally the pain was too great and Shin-Ra collapsed. The flames vanished, leaving his body covered with black patches of burnt skin.

"He is not dead." Cloud heard Jenn saying.

She was glowing with blue energy that licked her body like ghostly flames. The air felt charged with power all around her and it expanded in waves like a pulse.

Then they heard a sound growing louder from the sky. They turned their heads up and saw a helicopter. Somebody was waving at them from an open door.

"It's Tifa!" Cloud said.

The helicopter landed at safe distance.

"Hey guys! Look what I found!" She shouted to them "You didn't think I was going away without you, eh?" Then she looked at Vincent's limp body in Jenn's arms "What happened to him? Is he alive?"

"Cloud, please take care of Vincent. Hurry!" Jenn shouted.

Rude also came running from somewhere. "Boss!" He exclaimed. He picked up Shin-Ra and carried him away, dissappearing down a trap after slidding Rufu's limp body first. Reno, Tseng and Elena were for sure helping him.

Cloud hurried to the helicopter, taking Vincent with him. Jenn helped them get up the aircraft.

Tifa waited for Jenn to jump in too. "C'mon, Jenn! Let's go!"

"I can't" she shouted back.

"Why?"

Jenn was silent for a moment, her energy was still swirling about her, the wind intensified; the black clouds were huge and thunderbolts ran across them.

"I cannot live being what I am. I don't belong here." The silver haired girl said in a sad voice.

"You belong with us, with Vincent!" Tifa tried to convince her.

"Look at what I caused to him!" Jenn replied, looking up at Tifa with guilty, ice blue eyes. Lightning struck nearby as to mark her words.

"Jenn! Tifa! Hurry up, Vincent needs help!" Cloud shouted from the helicopter that was ready to take off, to escape from the building that shook from Jenn's power.

Jenn's energy was flowing all over, and some parts of the old energy plant were already exploding. The helicopter was forced to take off.

"You have Jenova's blood, alright!" Tifa yelled fiercely at Jenn. "But if you are so strong, then be strong enough to live your life! You said you had a choice! You still have it!"

Jenn remembered hear her own words when she met Cloud and she told him she was different. An explosion very close to them shook the helicopter.

"Just go, Tifa!" Jenn shouted with all her might.

She ran away and picked up her sword. The blade shone with blinding light, giving out rays of energy that caused more explosions, forcing Tifa to take the most painful decision she would ever make: leave a friend behind.

They could see Jenn looking up at them, a faint smile on her lips. Then she swung her sword and buried the blade down in the concrete.

Blinding ripples of energy expanded from where Jenn knelt, holding the sword. The power ran all over the Shin-Ra plant like electricity tendrils.

A powerful bolt of lightning from the sky struck her then, sending the shock wave all over the building.

Vincent groaned in pain and lifted his head just enough to look. The whole building collapsed, swallowing Jenn into it's bowels to explode a second later, blinding them all and shaking the helicopter.

Tifa had a hard time controlling it.

"No! Jenn!" Vincent said in a choked voice. Hot tears ran down his cheeks, and he hid his face. His sin had returned to haunt him; he had failed to protect yet another person he had come to care for.

The helicopter flew away back to Edge, leaving behind the tall column of smoke that rose to heaven, marking the end of Jenova's entire legacy.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

_Future dreams can never last_

_When you find yourself still living in the past._

_Keep moving on to higher ground,_

_Looking for the way you_

_Thought could not be found.*_

Cloud entered Tifa's tavern.

"Cloud! Do you have any news from Vincent?" Tifa asked.

Cloud shook his head.

"I've called him a thousand times, but he turned off his cell phone." She said in concern. "He was badly wounded and still not fully recovered when he left. I'm worried about him"

"He's a fast healer" Cloud said. "He won't die that easily. He just needs some time alone"

"But it's been eight months since we lost Jenn" Tifa complained.

Cloud knew how Vincent was feeling. He had gone thru the same kind of loss. It had required almost a miracle to make him move on. Vincent had probably just thought of letting go and this had happened. Life seemed to be harsher on Vincent than with anybody else.

He was truly concerned about him, but there was nothing he could do; they didn't even know where Vincent had gone.

"I hope he's all right" Tifa sighed.

Cloud sat on a stool at the counter. A man came and sat next to him.

"Hey, pretty thing!" he called Tifa as he lighted a cigarette "What happened to your friend, the one with silver hair?"

"She went very far away, back home." Tifa answered, feeling sick to her stomach and a sharp pain in her heart. But she tried to convince herself that, in a sense, what she said was true.

"Oh," the customer said "When will she come back?"

"She won't be coming back" Cloud said roughly.

"Hey, pretty thing, your friend here is a little touchy." The man said, letting out a puff of smoke.

"Don't call me pretty thing!" Tifa huffed.

"Ok! Sheesh... lately everybody is touchy!" The man said. He got up and walked out. "See ya later, sweetie!"

Tifa sighed. "The customers don't let me forget about Jenn for an instant." She complained "I can't forget how I left her behind" Tifa broke "I don't know what else to tell them."

"Tell them what you just did" Cloud replied thoughtfully as he took her hand "Tell them she is... back home. It is what she wanted."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Vincent! Vincent!" She called him in a ghostly voice. The corridors were long and dark and the voice seemed to come from everywhere. He ran along the corridors lined with closed doors, like an eternal maze, but he never found her.

Then he saw a pair of eyes, looking at him from a dark room. The eyes shone with intense light. He ran to them and found Jenn inside a glass tube, just to see her explode into pieces before him. He shouted and woke up with a start.

It was late night, but the forest gave its own eerie glow. Vincent sat against a fallen tree, and realized he had dozed off. That dream haunted him often lately. He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

How much time he had spent away? He didn't know. His friends must be worried about him. It wasn't that he didn't care, but he used to disappear for long periods of time. They would understand.

He didn't want them to see him. He didn't cry for her, but his sorrow showed. He knew it because he had seen his own reflection in a lake.

He wanted to forget, but he didn't want to give up her memory. He couldn't stand it. The terrible weight from his sins just kept growing and he was desperate. It was choking him slowly without ever killing him.

He was sitting on the ground, leaning against one of the trees she had cut down with her sword when they fought. He had stayed all this time in the same spot he met her, taking the memories that came to him as a punishment.

He couldn't cope with his own existence. But among his sorrow, he felt a slight, evasive trace of hope. As if she were going to come thru those woods, and stand in that same spot, just like the first time.

Then, a rustle among the bushes pulled him out of his thoughts. The rustle became louder and he could hear footsteps.

Vincent stood up, facing the noise, ready to take his gun out.

"Vincent?" it was her voice.

"I'm dreaming again." He thought

Then the vision appeared. Her silver hair, ice-blue eyes, slender figure...

Vincent was unable to move or speak, afraid to break the dream, afraid to see her fall apart to shreds again. She slowly walked up to him.

"Vincent, are you all right? You look pale and sick" She stood in front of him now. He still was silent. She lifted a hand and touched his face, stroking back a raven bang of his hair.

The vision was so real that Vincent had no doubt his mind was going. Why couldn't he just die?

Her warm hand remainded on his cheek. He slowly lifted his own hand and touched Jenn's, pressing her hand against his skin. It was so real…

His mind started to react, as if he woke from a slumber.

"You are not dead..." he whispered slowly.

She shook her head and embraced him softly; leaning on his chest. He closed his arms around her, the sickness he felt vanished instantly.

A feeling of peace suddenly washed over him. Holding her was like holding life itself, a balsam for his tortured soul.

"Jenn! You are alive!" He said, more to reassure himself.

"And you are too, I'm so grateful! But I feel terrible for putting you through all this and causing you so much pain." She cried.

He lowered his head until he touched his lips to her hair and closed his eyes. "Don't be worried" he said.

"You got shot because of me" she said guiltily "You should go back and recover fully!"

"I'm fine. My body heals faster than you think" he assured her "I'll take you back to Edge"

Jenn saddened "I can't"

"You left Shin-Ra in a wheelchair for life," he said, "and his skin will take a long time to heal, if it ever heals. I doubt he will try coming after you again, he now knows he can't control you."

"I have to protect all of you from what I am" Jenn replied "especially you"

"You don't need to protect me" Vincent told her.

"But I am Jenova." She protested.

"As you once said, you are what you choose to become" he responded.

She felt a slight hope seeping into her heart, but there were still many shadows threatening to choke her future. Her very life still meant death.

Suddenly, the images and feelings came to her mind again, so intense she had to pull away from him, holding her head in her hands, wincing in pain.

"I need time" She said when the painful memories receded a bit "To think... to try to cope with myself. I just gave the first step by not killing myself. Shin-Ra stirred my genetic memory and all the things that come to my mind are overwhelming me.

I feel Sephiroth's rage, I see myself as Jenova, I know her thoughts and feel her terrible pain from the experiments..."

Vincent gazed at her "I understand. Take all the time you need."

She came closer to him again. "Thank you, Vincent. I am alive now... because of you. "

She was going to put her arms around him again, but she contained herself. How could she embrace an angel when she was an aberration? She loved him. She now knew she loved him, but she also knew he didn't feel the same way towards her. Feeling broken hearted, she stepped back.

"Remember the promise I made you" he said, ignoring the pain of seeing her back away from him, out of his arm's reach. "I'll be there to protect you"

"I don't want you to keep that promise" she said "I refuse to be a burden for you. There is only one promise I ask you to keep. You know what it is."

He was silent. He knew perfectly what she meant.

Jenn felt pain biting a corner of her heart. Looking at him caused her to feel the need to throw herself into his arms, she could barely contain herself. But she had to admit it couldn't be and go.

She walked away the way she had come.

"Don't tell anybody that I'm alive, please." She pleaded him.

"I understand" he said simply. Jenn would never know how deeply he really understood.

"Thank you..." the words formed in her lips.

Vincent nodded and lowered his eyes. When he looked up again, she was gone. He looked around, but she was nowhere to be found.

He wondered if it had been all a dream.

No. Her scent still lingered about him and her warmth remained on his face, where she had put her hand and his chest, where she had embraced him.

It hadn't been a dream.

Sooner or later, he hoped, she would come back.

Then, maybe he would be ready to let her know how his feelings for her had grown. Dealing with past sins was not an easy thing, he knew it well enough. They both needed time and he had a lot of it to spare.

Meanwhile, it would be nice to see his friends. They must be worried, besides, seeing them might make his wait feel a bit shorter.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

_We may not know the reason why_

_We are born into this world._

_Where a man only lives to die,_

_His story left untold._

_Make the best of what's given to you,_

_Everything will come in time._

_Why deny yourself, don't just let life pass you by_

_Like winter in July.*_

*Song "Winter in July"

Interpreted by: Sarah Brightman

Album: "La Luna"


End file.
